mayfield



I UNITED STATES PArENT Erica.

sAMUnL BRooKs MAYFIELD, or rALEsTiNE, TEXAS, AssIGNoa rro MARY L. MAYFIELD, or SAME PLAoE.

cAR-couPL'NG.

SPECIFICATION forming part iofvLetters Patent No. 298,010, dated May 6, 1884.

Application filel March 14, 1884. (No model.) I

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL B. MAYFIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Palestine, in the county ofAnderson and State of Texas, have invented a ew and useful Car- Coupling,- of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. This invention relates to car-couplings of ro that class which have asliding spring-actuated pin-support, against which the link comes to drive the support back and permit the pin toV fall and effect an automatic coupling.

The invention is designed to provide a carcoupling possessing superior advantages in point 'of simplicity, inexpensiveness, durability, and general efficiency; and it consists in the construction and novel arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims appended. i

Figure l is a view in perspective of a carcoupling embodying the improvements of my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal v sectional view of the same; Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View; Fig. 4 is' a detail perspective view of the pin-supporting slide, and Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal Sectional view of a modification of the pin-supporting slide in the draw-head. FigQ 6 is a further 'modification of same.

. Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A designates the draw-head, which has the usual stem, B, andthe head portion C in the latter being provided with the link-chamber or recess D,,having the mouth E, and the usual vertical coupling-pin perforation, F, a semicircular guide and stopG being raised around the perforation on the top of the draw- 40 head. The mouth' E is rectangular in form, is five inches wide, and three inches in height. The front ofthe draw-head is rectangular in Vcross-section, and the walls fiare outwardlyV two inches beyond their outer faces at the front, giving the same strength in' these parts as at the neck. The senicircular guide and stop G not only guide the coupling-pin X, but its rear vertical faceacts as a bumper and prevents the draw head from being driven under the cross-timbers of theear.

.extends through the plate S and the tongueT H is a cylindrical longitudinally-disposed bore or recess that is formed in the stern of the draw-head, and opens into thelink-chanber. In this bore is' arranged a neatly-fitting coiled spring, I, that is always Ventirely inclosed in said bore, whether compressed or extended, so that it is protected from damage or displacement and cannot becomebent or janmed.

J is the supporting-slide, which comprises a head, K, that works in the link-chamber, and a rearwardly-extending cylindrical bar or stem, L, that enters the boreH and works against the spring therein, whichlatter nor-i nally retains the said -slide forward against the stops a a, formed by the inwardly-projecting ends of the pins b b, passing through the side walls of the draw-head slightlyjn front of the pin-perforation F, so that the head of the supporting-slide will be under the pinperforation. The head K is formed with a' vertical transversely-corrugated front face, M, at the top of which is formed a projecting flange, N, extending across the said head, and in this face M is preferably provided a recess, 0, from thet-op of which extends aV perforation, P, up through the head K. f

Q is a longitudinal groove or depression that is formed in the top su rface,R, of the head O of the draw-head, and extends to the pinperforation F, and under the semicircular guide and stop G. In this guide-groove slides a longitudinal plate, S,, from the under side of which, at its front end, extends a downwardly-projecting tongue, T, that slides ina longitudinal slot, U, formed centrally in the bottom ofthe said groove and opening into the link-chamber, said slot being of a snaller width than the groove. `A. perforation, V,

i o at the front end of the same, and 'through this perforation and the' perforation P is passed a pin or4 bolt, W-,by which the guide-plate S is secured to the main slide lJ ,to guide the same' and preserve it from-lateral displacement. i

The plate S normally projects under the pinperforation F at the front part of its groove Q, themovement of said plate being effected by the spring I as the plate and main slidey are connected together. Normally the plate Ioo S is forward under the pin-perforation F, so that it will support the coupling-pin i the perforation in the semicircula-r guide and stop G; but as soon as thelink of the approaching draw-head enters the link-chamber it drives the slide J and the plate S back, and the coupling-pin X falls and effects the coupling. Vheu coupled, the slide-head K forces the inner curved end of the link against the eouplingpin, and the said eurved end will enter the recess O` and be. retained in position.

In the modification I still further Simplify the construction by dispensing with the groove Q, plate S, pin V, and fiange N, leaving simply the slide J with its stem L, the spring I in the bore H, and the stops a, a in the drawhead.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw head having the guide and stop around the coupling-pin perforation on its top face, the stops on the inner faces of the vertical walls of the link-chamber in front of the pin-pcrforation, and the bore in its sten eomnunicating with the link-chamber, of the pinsupporting slidehaving its head working in the link-chamber beneath the upper portion of the pin-perforation, and itsistem or bar working against the spring in the bore ofthe sten of the draw-head, substantially as specified.

2. As a improvement in car-couplings,the combination of the draw-head having the longitudinally-disposed bore or recess H in its stem, the vertical coupling-'pin perforation F, the longitndinal top groove,,Q,eXtending to and opening into the pin-perforation F, and the longitudinal slot U, opening into the pinperforation F at its front end, the spring I, fitting neatly into the bore H, and working against the front end of the spring I, and the supporting-plate S, sliding in the groove and over the pin-perforation, and provided with the downwardly-extending tongue Tat its front end wlich works in the slot, and is secured to the top edge of the slide J at the front end of the latter, as set forth.

3.l The combination, with the draw-head having the longitudinal groove in its top surface, and a longitudinal slot arranged centrall y in the bottom of said groove, of a springaetuated slide having its head provided with a straight front face, at the top of which is formed a projecting tlange, and in the surface of which is provided a recess, from wlich extends a perforation up through the head, a slide-plate working in the groove and having a downwardly-projeeting tongue at its front end, through which a perforation is provided, and a pin or bolt passing through the perforations to secure the slide and guide-plate together, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto alixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL BROOKS MAYFIELD.

XVitnesSeS:

C. M. QUooLEs, SELDEN A. McMnANs. 

